Ban welcomes agreement to resume regular inter-Korean dialogue, hopes for talks on nuclear issue

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today welcomed the news of the agreement reached between the Republic of Korea and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea today.

“In particular, I highly appreciate the agreement to hold regular inter-Korean dialogue, and hope that this will serve as a mechanism to effectively manage any problems that may arise on the Korean Peninsula”, Mr. Ban said in a statement issued by the UN spokesperson.

The Secretary-General strongly encouraged humanitarian measures such as reunions of separated families to be regularized without being subject to political and security considerations. “I further hope that this hard-won momentum for inter-Korean dialogue will lead to the resumption of talks for addressing the nuclear issue,” he added.

Stressing the importance of the full implementation of the agreement for the peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, the UN chief assured that he stands ready to support inter-Korean cooperation.